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Looong Hangfire Today

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PowerG

PowerG

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Feb 27, 2010
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Mississippi
And I readily concede it's totally my fault for not firing a cap through all of the cylinders before loading it, as it's been in the safe for a longer time than it ever has. I would guess maybe a good 3-4 seconds, the longest one I've ever had, for sure. Seemed like ten minutes, but was good for talking points with my nine year old grandson. I was seriously injured in a crane accident back in March (nine rib breaks on five ribs, punctured lung, some serious internal injuries) and the gun hasn't been fired since a few weeks before then...been cleaned a few times lol but then I'm a little OCD about stuff like that. I usually don't use petroleum oil on it but had in a couple of cleanings while I was incapacitated and bored, I guess maybe there was a little oil in that chamber. So I seemingly forgot all the lessons I've learned over the years.

Gun is a Pietta "Confederate" brass frame .44 Navy, very well used.
 
Swab the chambers with high test rubbing alcohol and pop some caps off before you shoot it next time. Glad it ended well for you, sometimes it results in horrific injury.
 
With my revolvers I wipe cylinders with q-tips till clean and dry and blow out nipples with the shop air compressor. and visually check for clean and clear and never waste $$$$ on caps .Besides the family doesn't like to hear caps going off in the house!
 
If you thoroughly clean the chambers and nipples, there is no need to waste caps.
35+ years of BP never had a misfire / hangfire in any of my revolvers or rifles that was caused by
left over lube or other crud in the chamber or nipples.
as 44dave said thoroughly clean with some tubbing alcohol before loading.
 
Do what you will, but it's a sure and easy way to get those nips clear. The "old hands" out west did it that way. Some here thing they're more clever than them. Let them think it how they please, but us old timers know that is the surest way, and to also due it with the bore near a blade of grass so you can SEE the puff come through and bend the grass.
 
From the period (1860):

Directions for using Colt's Pistols, Rifles, Carbines & Shotguns

Before loading snap off a round of percussion caps to blow the oil and dirt out of the nipples. Great care should be taken when Colt's Cartridges are not used, that all the balls are perfect and fit the chambers snugly, otherwise the charges may jar out, and more than one chamber be discharged at once.

I always pop caps before loading for the first time after a cleaning.
 
My reason for not doing the traditional cap shot is money and cap shortages, it takes a little longer to wipe and dry. When I first started bp 50 years ago powder was $2/lb. and a tin of Alcan (good brass caps) was "pocket change"! Now I have more time than money.
 
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Do what you will, but it's a sure and easy way to get those nips clear. The "old hands" out west did it that way. Some here thing they're more clever than them. Let them think it how they please, but us old timers know that is the surest way, and to also due it with the bore near a blade of grass so you can SEE the puff come through and bend the grass.
Click to expand...

So I have to ask, How do you know the "old" hands did this 150 years ago?
Think of this, yes caps were potentially more plentiful then as they were the main ignition source of BP guns.
But Towns were farther apart and fewer of them. plus you either walked or rode a horse / buggy for hours if not days or even weeks
to the town to get supplies, not just caps.
I just don't see them old hands wasting a cap to be sure the nipple was clean.
More likely they made damn sure it was clean, and because if was the weapon of the day, they almost certainly reloaded it immediately after cleaning it.
They didn't have aircompressors back then to blow it clean.
What they did have was their cleaning solution hot or cold water, maybe urine. a thin wire and some rags Maybe a commercial solvent.
and they took their time and cleaned all the crevices etc. Including the nipple flash hole.
And that is all you need to do today.Many of you clean and oil the guns ( many times way too much oil)after shooting and then put away and forget about them. Then get in a hurry to go out and shoot, and don't take the time to first clean out the oil you put there.
While Colt back in the day may have recommended firing a cap, I'm betting most people back then were like us.
Pay check to paycheck, and didn't waste caps this way. They just made sure the guns were actually clean.
 
I did exactly as you describe, the revolver was cleaned (even though it didn't really need it) and oiled in preparation for a long period of not shooting it, which is exactly what happened. When I went to load it I just did so without checking it, assuming the oil would have dried out enough not to be a problem. Not so, evidently.

I use the caps for a couple of reasons, swabbing out the chambers would be fine, but traditionally the job of capping the revolver and firing the caps goes to smaller grandchildren. I'm lucky enough to have several who live right here close, and I generally see if anybody else wants to go shoot, and they usually do...I have a gravel pit at the back of my property with a small range in it. The other reason is I bought a good bit of the stock from a LGS that went out of business a few years ago, I have enough caps to last for several years I would guess. I'm not going to complain about the hangfire a tremendous amount, as now I have a nine year old grandson that knows what caused it and what to do if he ever has one.
 
personally I clean and reload with paper cartridges. In over thirty five years the only dud I have had is a bad cap.
I know it wasn't oil or a clogged nipple as I never oil the chambers or the nipples.
My external oiling is a cotton patch from a flannel shirt tht has only a couple drops of oil on it. Lightly wipe down the exterior.
quality oil doesn't evaporate per se. some oils over time can get gummy, nut don't evaporate.
 
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